Statistical comparison of capacity predictions for realistic MIMO channels

The impact of antenna polarization on channel capacity is explored in multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) systems. An idealized polarization model involving branch power rations (BPR's) and channel cross-coupling is incorporated into channel-specific capacity calculations. Results are compared for several measured channels including line-of-sight (LOS) and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) both indoors and outdoors yielding valuable sensitivity analyses for channel capacity. Virtually all channels achieve perchannel peak capacities of 50% above that of single-input, single-output (SISO) channels and are well suited to opportunistic scheduling. However, systems exclusively dependent on polarization diversity will often exhibit outage capacities of just 10% above SISO capacity and will perform worse than those dependent on additional degrees of freedom.